Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1887-10-08
REV. DIR. WALKER.
One of the Notable Speeches Delivered
at the Board Meeting.

One OF the Notable speeches. Delivered
at the Board Meeting.
Following is the speech of the Rev. DR..
George Leon Walker, of Hartford, at the
American Board meeting on Thursday-one
of the great speeches of the meeting:
Mr.. President and brethren of the board:
rise at this time with sense of personal
embarrassment such as never attended any
public address which 1 ever ventured to
make, and 1 should not rise at all did not
believe that stood somewhat in represen-
tative capacity, humbly representative of
class of men whose voices have hardly been
heard in the discussion of this question thus
far. In theology, agree with my brother
my brother-in-law according. to the flesh,
and brother in Christian spirit-Dr Board
man; and do not agree with my brother
Parker in theology upon the point
which is especially before US to-day. Stand
ing in this middle position, where I humbly
believe that others connected with this
board do stand, I desire to say that it is with
the profoundest sorrow that I have seen the
meetings of this organization for the past
two years 80 perverted, as it seems to be,
from the essential and proper business which
is before us an organization for carrying
the gospel to heather lands as to become, if
not, as has been said, a theological court, at
least theological debating society; where,
whatever may be the other advantages which
may have been secured, certainly no one can
have gone away inspired and uplifted by the
considerations which seem germane to the
organization which we represent. And,
standing as I do, as a representative
of old school views in theology, I am
in a position to say, as I do say and
affirm at this time, that the RESPONSE
bility for bringing these questions before this
board and SO changing the character of the
zAs. 1A-~ - hanr, ~ L..
tives of what is called the ''new departure"
loud applause.) In a time of peace, before
these questions were agitated upon the public
platform of this board at all, a voice was up
lifted upon the conservative side of this ques-
ton, designed to tone up the theology of the
board, in the sermon preached at Portland.
That voice was re echoed at almost every
subsequent meeting of the board. A year
ago its polemic note gave character and
quality to the whole meeting that followed.
Thank God that on this occasion we were
spared in the opening sermon continuance
of the same unhappy discussion. loud ap-
| plause.)
And in this view of the proper character
and origin of this discussion, Mr.. President,
intruded into this board, l have the authority
of the late venerated man whose chair you
occupy, who said in communication to a
public journal not long before he died that,
for the first time in the history OF the board,
| 1t: had been used, and used now for several
years, as a theological makeweight in the
discussion of affairs and in the interest of
the theology of the prudential committee.
(Applause)
Now, Mr.. President, while, as have said
plainly enough, not holding at all or sympa-
| thizing with the particular view which is
| under debate, cannot but feel that there
has been most misleading, a continuous
| and reiterated, Misrepresentation of the
quality and characteristics of this view.
| Our papers have teemed with statements
that this is a novelty, a hitherto unconjeo-
| tured conception of the possibility of Gods
| grace to man. I could quote from a paper
| which read upon the platform of this board,
from an article written by a gentleman, a
member of this board, now sitting here, af-
| drming this view and that idea Is sent forth
through all our religious newspapers; that
this is a novelty, and that the board is in
| vited to give its quasi sanction to concep-
tion which until recently has never entered
the hearts and minds of men. 1 sit at the
| feet of an eminent historical instructor who
can correct me, if am in error; but if I have
read history Alright, this conception of
the possibility of divine grace extend
| ed in another world to men is as old as
4 the second century of Christian history.
It has been entertained by some OF the no.
| blest and saintliest fathers OF the Christian
| church. It pervades to a very great extent
| the views and conceptions of the noblest rep
resentatives of evangelical religion in England
and in Germany to-day. 1t is set forth by
men who have done more than any others to
| roll back the tide of German infdelity dur
ing the past thirty years-such names as
Tholuck, Lange aud others whom l could
name. This say then Is no novelty, and it